[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 161 (Monday, August 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42871-42872]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-21066]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 080996C]


Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
convene public meetings.

DATES: The meetings will be held on September 9-13, 1996.

ADDRESSES: These meetings will be held at the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza, 
333 Poydras Street, New Orleans, LA; telephone: 504-525-9444.
    Council address: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 5401 
West Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 331, Tampa, FL 33609.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wayne E. Swingle, Executive Director; 
telephone: (813) 228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Council

September 11

     3:00 p.m.--Convene.
    3:15 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.--Receive a report of NMFS Highly Migratory 
Species Activities.
    4:15 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.--Receive a report of the Joint Shrimp/Reef 
Fish Committee.

September 12

    8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.--Receive a report of the Shrimp Management 
Committee.
    10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.--Receive a report of the Red Drum 
Management Committee.
    1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.--Reconvene to receive a report of the Reef 
Fish Management Committee.
    3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.--Receive a report of Habitat Protection 
Committee.
    4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.--Receive a report of the Ad Hoc 
Communications Committee.
    4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.--Personnel Session (CLOSED SESSION).
    September 13
    8:30 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.--Receive a report of Magnuson Act Amendments.
    9:15 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.--Receive a report of the Shark Operations 
Team.
    9:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.--Receive a South Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council Report.
    9:45 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. --Receive Enforcement Report.
    10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.--Receive Director's Reports.
    10:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.--Other business to be discussed.
    10:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.--Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman.

Committees

September 9

    11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon--Convene the Personnel Committee. (CLOSED 
SESSION)
    1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.--Convene the Joint Shrimp/Reef Fish 
Management Committee. The committees will consider a report by LGL 
Ecological Research Associates, Inc. of Bryan, Texas that analyzes the 
procedure and data available for use by NMFS in preparing the 
assessments of the status of red snapper stock. The committees will 
also hear comments by scientific groups on this report and will develop 
its recommendations to the Council.

[[Page 42872]]

September 10

    8:00 a.m. -12:00 noon--Convene the Shrimp Management Committee. 
This committee will review staff revisions to Draft Shrimp Amendment 9, 
which addresses shrimp trawl bycatch, select their preferred management 
alternatives relating to bycatch reduction and will schedule public 
hearings on the amendment.
    1:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.--Convene the Reef Fish Management Committee. 
This committee will review a draft discussion paper containing 
alternatives for a license limitation system for the commercial red 
snapper fishery that would limit participation in the fishery. The 
committee will also schedule meetings of an Ad Hoc Red Snapper Advisory 
Panel, consisting of commercial fishermen and industry representatives, 
and of scientific groups, to review the discussion paper and recommend 
the management alternatives for consideration by the Council in 
January, 1997.

September 11

    8:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.--Convene the Red Drum Management Committee. 
This committee will review a NMFS assessment of the status of the Gulf-
red drum stocks. They will also review a report of a scientific stock 
assessment panel which has recommended the fishery in Federal waters 
remain closed for several years until the spawning stock is restored.
    12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.--Convene the Habitat Protection Committee. 
This committee will review a draft policy on marine aquaculture. The 
policy would be used by the Council in commenting to Federal and state 
agencies on such projects in the Gulf area.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Anne Alford at the Council (see 
ADDRESSES) by August 30, 1996.

    Dated: August 13, 1996.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-21066 Filed 8-16-96; 8:45 am]
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